Why will the seats of future airplanes be made from bioplastics?

In a departure from traditional plastics derived from petroleum or natural gas, bioplastics are manufactured using renewable biomass materials, significantly reducing environmental pollution. Apart from the environmental benefits, the future use of bioplastics in airplane seats not only promotes sustainability but also offers cost advantages, aiding airlines in enhancing their profitability.

According to aviation news website “Simple Flying,” airlines operate on low profit margins and continuously seek ways to reduce operational costs to sustain their businesses, particularly in cutting down fuel expenses which represent a significant portion of their expenditures.

In addition to employing jets with the latest engines known for their minimal fuel consumption, reducing aircraft weight is another strategy to save on fuel costs. This includes utilizing lightweight materials and next-generation technology in crafting seats and interior facilities.

Within the aircraft cabin, seats, doors, overhead bins, galley trays, lavatory fixtures, and nearly all internal components are made from some form of plastic, with a few surfaces manufactured from lightweight metals such as aluminum.

These materials are essential for any cabin interior design, prompting airlines to prioritize using lightweight, easy-to-clean, and maintain plastic materials, with bioplastics poised as one of the latest materials to be introduced into the market.

Bioplastics are highly suitable for manufacturing non-structural components of airplanes. In addition to being lightweight, many bioplastics are durable, easy to clean, and possess natural flame-retardant properties, potentially meeting modern commercial aviation’s strict safety standards with ease.

Substituting traditional plastics with lightweight bioplastics not only can save airlines millions of dollars in fuel costs but also reduce their overall carbon footprint, mitigating carbon taxes and other environmentally punitive fees.

Furthermore, reducing aircraft weight with lightweight bioplastics can increase their payload capacity, enabling airlines to transport more goods and generate additional revenue.

Research by the UK aerospace and spacecraft components manufacturer Aerospheres indicates that bioplastics are true sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics. By 2025, as people increasingly utilize plant-derived bioplastics, it is projected that the amount of petroleum used for plastic production will decrease by 15% to 20%.

While bioplastics are set to have a significant impact on the aviation industry in the coming years, they are not yet widely implemented in the sector and lack approval from operational and regulatory authorities.

However, the market for bioplastics in the aviation industry continues to grow, primarily driven by additional funding into research on reducing the global aviation industry’s carbon footprint.

Over the next five years, the use of bioplastics in the aviation sector is projected to grow by over 15%, with numerous companies investing heavily in the development of such materials. This trend is mostly supported by aviation regulatory bodies aiming to assist the industry in further reducing its overall carbon footprint.

Bioplastics have undergone extensive testing for producing components like seat backrest shells, tray tables, and armrests, with most airlines looking to reduce the weight of these parts.

These materials not only meet the stringent safety standards of the aviation industry but also offer flexibility in design, texture, and color. Interest from airlines and manufacturers in such materials continues to rise.

One of the main obstacles hindering the widespread adoption of bioplastics in the aviation industry is the lack of mass production scale, preventing cost-effectiveness for airlines.

However, the good news is that most regulatory barriers impeding their usage have been largely eliminated. These materials exhibit fire resistance and can be safely used in most non-structural aircraft components, although some applications still require testing.